Tuna Capital Emerges as a Farm Tourism Hub in Mindanao

Known as the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines”, Gen. Santos City has earned itself a new moniker as an emerging farm tourism hub in Mindanao. This after its successful hosting of the recent 8th Philippine International Farm Tourism Conference, the country’s largest gathering of practitioners and authorities on farm tourism.

Organized by the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) with the support of the City Government of Gen. Santos, the three-day confab provided avenues for collaboration among farm owners, farmers and participants, and emphasized the positive socio-economic impact of the sunshine industry to the countryside.

DOT Sec Christina Frasco with ISST Board of Directors and Gen Santos City local officials

“At the heart of farm tourism lies a simple yet powerful idea: that our farms are more than just places of production. They are living landscapes of culture, history, and sustainability, where traditions are passed down, innovation takes root, and communities find new pathways to prosperity,” says Department of Tourism secretary Esperanza Christina Garcia-Frasco who was the confab’s keynote speaker.

“I express my heartfelt gratitude to our stakeholders whose dedication has allowed our lands to be as productive as they are purposeful. Your passion fuels this movement, and you deserve our collective commendation and gratitude. The DOT shall continue its support for farm tourism through continued training and capacity building, accreditation, inclusion and promotion in our tourism circuits as well as integration in our flagship and priority programs,” she added.

ISST president and conference director Mina Gabor said that this year’s conference focused on sustainable growth through the cultivation of fruit farms, aquaculture and livestock, and investments on agriculture and tourism.

She noted that this year’s edition is the first in Mindanao and put the spotlight on the phenomenal progress and peace and order situation the Land of Plenty has attained in recent years.

Themes included Diversified Agriculture and Sustainable Farm Tourism Models, Enhancing the Land for Food Security at Home, Innovations and Technology Adoption for Increasing Farm Productivity and Sustainability, Peace and Trust in the Communities, livestock farms tourism sites, and aquaculture development on new products.

Resource persons included owners of successful farm tourism ventures from Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon.  

Lending an international flavor to the event were foreign speakers Dewi Suryani of Seameo Biotrop from Indonesia, Gregory Duffel of Vulcain AI from the United States, and Kaoru Hirabayashi of Strout Inc., Japan, and Malaysian Nur Azura Binti Adam from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).

The three-day confab also included a trade fair of agricultural produce, processed food, native crafts and finished products from the Soccsksargen Region.

To showcase Gen. Santos’s potential as a farm tourism hub in the south, participants visited the city’s leading sites such as Felicidad Orchard and Garden Organics, and Bougainvilla Avenue, Sarangani Highlands. MBX Grape Vineyard, Saxonylyn Scifish Farm, Envirogreen Village Educational Foundation, Villamor Agrotourism Park, Keisha’s Garden, JB Guava Farm and & JBalayo H20 Garden Villas.

Felicidad Orchard Bougainvilla Avenue Sarangani Highlands

and Garden

MBX Grapes Vineyard J Balayo Garden Villas

Gabor said that the farm tourism sites in Gen. Santos would provide added tourist attractions to the city, which is a favorite for nationa conventions and special events because of its urban vibe, indigenous culture and tasty tuna catch.

The conference drew to a close with a farewell dinner and entertainment program at Patricio’s Coco Island hosted by City Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao

Patricio's Coco Island

The 8th Philippine International Farm Tourism Conference is supported by the Tourism Promotions Board, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Bureau of Animal Industry, Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport), the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Philippine Airlines as official carrier.

International partners are UP Los Banos-based agencies SEARCA and the Asean Centre for Biodiversity.